NEW YORK — Deshaun Watson has made plenty of history over the course of the last seven years. But perhaps the most momentous occasions are yet to come for the current Clemson and former Gainesville High quarterback.
Watson -- who led the Red Elephants to their first GHSA championship before moving to Clemson and lighting up the collegiate girdiron -- has already guided Clemson back into the College Football Playoff for a second consecutive season, where he will look to clinch a national title after coming up just short in last year's finale. And on Monday he learned he will also have a chance to claim the sport's highest individual honor after Watson was named among the finalists for the 2016 Heisman Trophy for a second consecutive season.
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson and Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers, who has played nine different positions in 2016 on defense, offense, and special teams were also named. Joining those three are Oklahoma teammates Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook.
Watson finished third in the 2015 Heisman voting and is now the first Heisman finalist in consecutive years since Johnny Manziel (2012, '13). He is also the first ACC player to earn the honor.
"You just don't have a lot of two-time Heisman finalists over the history of your program. He is our first, and he's very deserving," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said in a statement. "I've said it before; I believe he is the best player in the nation and has been a great representative of our University."
The winner will be announced Saturday by the New York Athletic Club.
Watson entered as the preseason favorite in what looked like a strong field of contenders, but Jackson quickly swept past them all to be front-runner. He was brilliant for the first two months of the season and Louisville was looking like a College Football Playoff contender.
It seemed as if Jackson would be a runaway Heisman winner, but the 15th-ranked Cardinals lost their final two games of the season. He was sacked 11 times in a lopsided loss at Houston and he committed four turnovers in a last-second loss against Kentucky.
Watson, meanwhile, has surged since Clemson's only loss to Pitt in mid-November. He also had the benefit of playing in the ACC title game last Saturday and took full advantage of the spotlight. Watson threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores in a 42-35 victory against Virginia Tech to seal a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The raw numbers still favor Jackson, who is second in the nation in total yards per game (410.7) and has accounted for 51 touchdowns (21 rushing TDs and 30 TD passes) with 13 turnovers (nine INTs and four lost fumbles) in 12 games. Watson averages 341.8 yards per game and has 43 touchdowns (six rushing and 37 passing) with 15 turnovers (all interceptions) in 13 games.
When the two met on Oct. 1 at Clemson, Watson threw for 306 yards and five touchdowns, ran for 91 and was picked off three times. Jackson had 295 yards passing, 162 rushing and accounted for three touchdowns with one interception. Clemson won 42-36.
Watson has already led the Tigers to a second straight ACC championship, part of another stellar season in which he has completed 329 of 487 passes for 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns (a Clemson season record and second in ACC history). He ranks fourth in the nation in completions, fifth in touchdown passes, eighth in completion percentage and eighth in total offense. Watson also has 526 yards rushing and two scores.
